Waiting for Morning

by Karen Kingsbury
A Book Review

" Great is Thy Faithfulness" was Hannah Ryan's favorite hymn. Having experienced a carefree life where she married her childhood sweetheart and raised two beautiful girls in a comfortable lifestyle, it was easy to believe God was faithful. But when a drunk driver killed her husband and oldest daughter, she turned away from God and made revenge against that driver her life's purpose. Entrenched in bitterness and anger, she even ignored her surviving daughter Jenny who is struggling with her grief and desires to take her own life. But God continued to pursue Hannah through a MADD activist, the prosecutor in the drunk driving case, and a final message from her dying husband.

This story is painful to read not only because of the tragic circumstances, but also because of Hannah's attitude toward her young daughter Jenny, whom she ignores and whose pain she actually taunts. I find it difficult to believe any mother who just lost her other daughter and her husband would be so callous. But then again, it's hard to know how you would react until you are faced with the unthinkable. I identified with Hannah's struggle to forgive Brian Wesley, the man who robbed her of her family, and her feeling of betrayal toward her MADD friend Carol who secretly befriends Brian. I was also relieved to discover an authentic story where Christians aren't miraculously spared from tragedy or immediately react with thankfulness when it strikes their lives. It's real and it's raw, and it's classic Kingsbury. Buy Book 1 in the "Forever Faithful" series here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Harvest of Grace - Book GIVEAWAY and Review

Read and comment on my review for a chance to WIN my copy of Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall. Drawing will be on Wednesday, August 17. See below for details.

Sylvia Fisher loves farming, her family, and her beau Elam. But when a painful betrayal drives her far away from all that she loves, she focuses her love of farming into a foreman position at another Amish family's farm. Michael and Dora Blank's farm is suffering due to family tragedies, including their son Aaron's alcohol addiction and recent death of their only daughter. Just when they feel Sylvia is the answer to rebuilding their farm and healing their hearts, Aaron returns from rehab with hopes of reconciling with his parents and selling the farm to pursue his own dreams. Although Sylvia and Aaron seem to have conflicting goals, they are drawn together by their need to find forgiveness, redemption, and healing.

Because this is Book 3 in the Ada's House series, there are multiple subplots happening besides the story of Sylvia Fisher and Aaron Blank. Although the author makes a valiant effort to catch up any new readers, I often found myself referring back to the list of characters to keep everyone straight in my mind. Based on what I've experienced from reading other Amish fiction, the dialogue and even the circumstances often didn't quite ring true, but I did find the theme of grace and redemption to be thought-provoking. If you enjoy Amish fiction, you'll find this author uniquely different; and I would recommend reading the series in order rather than coming into the middle as I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

TO WIN A FREE COPY OF HARVEST OF GRACE:

Each of the following is worth one entry into the drawing. Please leave a comment for each action, including your email address or FB/Twitter username so we can contact you.

1. Follow "A Fragile Faith" blog on Networked Blogs for Facebook.
2. Subscribe to "A Fragile Faith" blog via email.
3. Follow @M1ssDiagnosis on Twitter and Tweet about the book giveaway
4. Share this book review on Twitter, FB, etc.
5. Follow "A Fragile Faith" with Google Friend Connect (top right corner of blog).

The Canary List

By Sigmund Brouwer
A Book Review and GIVEAWAY!

Who do you turn to when darkness and evil are hunting you? When 12-year-old troubled foster child Jaimie turns to her teacher Crockett Grey for help, she has no idea how much his life will be turned upside-down. Soon Crockett is accused of unspeakable crimes and wrapped up in a tangled web involving hackers, exorcists, psychologists, and the Roman Catholic church. While fighting to clear his name, Grey discovers the plot to smear him is a means to insure a cover-up of corruption in the Church and protect Jaime's unique abilities to sense evil. But who can he trust? And is this evil real or just part of a religious-political agenda?

Rarely have I been so completely enthralled in a novel! This plot will keep you guessing and re-guessing until the very last page. And with the topic of religious corruption and references to the cover-up of sexual abuse and demonic activity in the Catholic church, it's amazing how true-to-life the story feels. This is my first book by Brouwer, but it certainly will not be my last!

Click here to download the first chapter of The Canary List, and you will be hooked. Want to win my Advanced Reading Copy? See below for details.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

TO WIN A FREE COPY OF THE CANARY LIST:

Each of the following is worth one entry into the drawing. Please leave a comment for each action, including your email address.

1. Follow "A Fragile Faith" on Networked Blogs for Facebook.
2. Subscribe to "A Fragile Faith" via email.
3. Follow @M1ssDiagnosis on Twitter and Tweet about the book giveaway
4. Share this book review on Twitter, FB, etc.
5. Follow "A Fragile Faith" with Google Friend Connect (top right corner of blog).

Winner will be notified by email on Wednesday, July 13.

Tandem

by Tracey Bateman
A Book Review

The small town of Abbey Hills, Missouri is revisited by brutal, ritualistic killings just months after a similar killer was presumably killed in a house fire. Lauryn McBride, whose auction house is handling the sale of the estate of the deceased victim Markus Chisom, finds herself entangled in centuries of secrets surrounding the mysterious family, as well as in her own personal struggles caring for her ailing father and reconnecting with a past love. Inevitably, anyone involved in either the murders or the Chisom estate has to face his own person demons, literal and figurative, to find closure and redemption.

A lot of people might think a Christian vampire novel is an oxymoron. But not only is this not JUST a vampire novel, it is also very clear that the vampire characters who feel no remorse for their lifestyle suffer an endless, empty, Godless existence. In contrast, those who realize their behavior separates them from God are able to seek redemption and find peace. There are a lot of characters, flashbacks, and plenty going on in this story, which makes it difficult to follow at times. However, the supernatural elements are intriguing, and the emotional struggles of the characters tug at the heart. (Although I didn't personally endorse the relationship between Lauryn and the missionary love-interest character, Billy -2 Corinthians 6:14) Overall, I found it a fascinating read.

Check out the first two chapters for free. After that, you'll want to buy the book for sure.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Miracle of Mercy Land by River Jordan

A Book Review

Mercy Land was "born in a bolt of lightning on the banks of Bittersweet Creek" in 1930's Alabama. In a time when young women were expected to aspire to marriage and motherhood at a young age, Mercy instead heads to Bay City to find her place in the world. Soon, she becomes the assistant to the town's esteemed newspaper man and finds herself the keeper of secrets concerning the disappearance of a childhood friend and the mystery of a supernatural book that could change the past. Faced with tough decisions, Mercy discovers that everyone's lives are connected by the choices they make. And she also discovers herself in the process.

Most of the story is narrated by the main character Mercy Land, and I found myself reading it in a thick, Southern accent in my head; you just can't help it! As beautiful as the language is, I felt the story line dragged on and was also quite reminiscent of Ted Dekker's Showdown in the Books of History Chronicles. I did find the name Mercy Land to be a clever allusion to the author's name and I also enjoyed the development of the characters very much. However, I must say I was a bit relieved when the story finally came to a close.

If you'd like to give this book a try, get your copy here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Life Without Limbs by Nick Vujicic: A Book Review

A few months ago, I saw this video about a man named Nick Vujicic. It's impossible to see this man, hear him speak, or learn about his story without feeling inspired. Born without any limbs, he has faced adversity that most of us could never understand, yet he travels the world to communicate to others the love of God and the message that their life has a purpose and can be lived without the limits we place on ourselves due to negative circumstances. Nick shares the joy that he has found by determining to live a "ridiculously good life" and using his struggles to encourage others to overcome obstacles and embrace life.

This is much more than a self-help book. This is a story of inspiration and courage. By sharing his own journey to accept that God did not make a mistake allowing him to be born without limbs and that he has an important message to share with the world, Nick Vujicic is a true example of what it means to live life to the fullest. His practical wisdom, humor, and raw transparency will encourage you to change your attitude about life, rise above your challenges, and find a way to ignite passion in others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”